Inventory of coastal engineering projects in Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Dallas K, Berry M, Ruggiero P. 2013. Inventory of coastal engineering projects in Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRTR—2013/713. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report includes information on coastal engineering projects identified in, or immediately adjacent to, Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA). The report serves as a supplement to a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database (the GIS data are available online: http://irma.nps.gov). A total of 72 coastal engineering projects were identified in and adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA). Of the total, 48 are coastal structures, 17 are beach nourishment projects, 5 are dredging projects, and 2 are dune construction projects. Together the 48 coastal structures extend for 5,723 m (18,360 ft), armoring 1% of the park’s ocean shoreline due primarily to the structure’s soundside locations and the park’s lengthy ocean shoreline. Beach nourishment projects have emplaced over 7.8 million m3 (10.2 million yd3) of sediment on CAHA beaches from 1962 to 2011. Dredging at three inlets and two marinas has removed or bypassed an unknown, but likely significant, volume of material. At Oregon Inlet, nearly 9.2 million m3 (12 million yd3) of sediment was dredged from the inlet system between 1960 and 2012 (excludes sidecast dredging). Over 4.3 million m3 (5.7 million yd3) of this total was placed offshore from 1960–1989. The remaining 4.8 million m3 (6.3 million yd3) was deposited on northern Pea Island beaches and in the nearshore region from 1997–2010. In addition, artificial dunes built in the 1930s and 1950s extend the entire length of the park and are regularly maintained for limited purposes after storms. Artificial dune construction has interfered with natural barrier island evolution processes (i.e. overwash and inlet formation), resulting in island width reduction, changes to beachmorphology, and habitat alterations. Coastal structures at Oregon Inlet have altered the natural inlet migration, contributing to the need for channel dredging and beach nourishment projects. Coastal structures that were installed to protect a former Navy facility near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse have locally stabilized the shoreline and created a beach inflection point.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Dallas, Kate; Berry, Michael; Ruggiero, Peter
- Date of Issue
- 2013-03
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- CAHA , GRD , NRSS
- Keywords
- Beach, Beach Nourishment, Breakwater, Bulkhead, Coastal Engineering, Coastal Processes, coastal structures, dike, Dredging, Erosion, groin, headland control, jetty, Levee, National Park Service, NPS, pier, revetment, Seawall, Sill